4 Tips on Why and How to Use Vine

Despite an extremely crowded social media landscape, the video-sharing mobile application “Vine,” acquired by Twitter, is well on its way to establishing itself alongside social media giants such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. For those of you who have never used this app, Vine allows anyone with a smartphone to become a mini-movie-maker, giving them the ability to film six second clips in short spurts that are as long as the user pleases. The user interface includes no record or stop button, as the app records as long as the holds his or her thumb down on the screen. Sharing is done in a way similar to Instagram, with the same follow and tagging system (ie: @myusername) and with hashtags from Twitter. Although the app is undoubtedly gaining massive popularity (it hasn’t dropped out of the top 5 most downloaded free apps since April), it has yet to reach mainstream popularity, meaning now is a perfect opportunity to get a head start on mastering the nuances of Vine, whether you are looking to utilize it to promote your company and boost sales in a PR campaign, or just looking to out-Spielberg your friends when you are all finally on the app. Regardless, here’s Why and How to Use Vine.

1) Intimacy and Authenticity

Not all social media was made equal. Each social media site or application has its own unique qualities, its own charm, its own benefits and drawbacks. Vine’s uniqueness lies in its ability to capture genuine interactions and behind-the-scenes material on “film.” If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a million. The nature of Vine, with its short six second videos constructed from even shorter clips cobbled together, allows other users a long glimpse (perhaps a nonsensical phrase) into the life of the user who chooses to share. From a professional standpoint, Vine allows companies to build trust with their customers by offering them a look into the company culture and activities behind closed doors, helping them to see the company as more than a cold corporation. From a personal standpoint, Vine allows friends to share funny moments, amazing views, etc–all in action, building trust and a sense of intimacy rarely provided by social media.

2) Flexibility and Creativity

As you may know from watching movies, the same scene can be shot in a million different ways, depending on the director’s take/perspective. Vine puts the same power in user’s hands–and imaginations. Though six seconds may not seem like a very long time (unless you’re six seconds away from the bathroom with an agonizingly full bladder), the start and stop filming method gives users the ability to utilize varying camera angles and weave a fairly complex story, as well as the ability to use film methods such as stop-motion animation. Thus, Vine grants users the flexibility to utilize and maximize their creativity, depending on the purpose of their video, to convey a message and elicit the desired emotional response.

3) “Just About Right”

Youtube videos can be too long. We all have that friend who constantly sends us links of “amazing videos” that are 5-10 minutes long that are clicked on and promptly ‘x-ed’ out. Pictures can be boring–unfortunately none of us are Harry Potter and consequently pictures never move. With Vine, the six second videos are just the perfect length where anyone, no matter what they might be doing, can find the time in their lives to watch a six second video. Because of this, both companies and individuals will find that more of their output is actually viewed by fellow users, increasing the probability that their message is received.

4) Integration

Of course, all of this is no fun if you’re limited to sharing with only your friends who also have Vine. Fortunately, Vine allows you to embed your videos on Twitter and Facebook, complete with hashtag campaigns. Thus your Facebook promotes your Vine, which promotes your Twitter, which promotes your Facebook, which promotes your Vine…is this a loop? The answer is yes: a positive feedback loop, a loop of the best kind. Each social media feed supplies traffic for the other, creating a web of attention and interaction. This scenario certainly sounds like a great situation to be in. What could be better?

Special Tip:

Yes, a situation in which one social media feed leads a consumer (or friend) to another social media feed and so on certainly does sound like a terrific situation. However, there is one that is better. Imagine a situation in which all of the social media feeds are conveniently collected into one place, displayed beautifully, ready for access at the finger tips of viewers. Luckily, this fantasy is a reality. Using Tint, you can do just that–gather your social media feeds, customize the display, and embed this creation with ease and flexibility to any website or Facebook Fan Page. Happy Tinting!

Any additional tips that you would like to offer about Vine? How have these tips enhanced (or detracted) from your Vine experience? Share your feedback in the comments below!